Two-Handed is a characteristic of weapon types in all Diablo games. It is often abbreviated as 2H.
A character may only equip weapons and off-hand items into two hands, and two-handed weapons occupy both. In most cases it means that no other weapons, Shields or off-hand items may be equipped together with a two-handed weapon, though there are some exceptions:
- Crusaders of Diablo III can elect to take Heavenly Strength as a passive skill. This allows them to equip any two-handed weapon with their main hand, as long as a shield is equipped. However, all damage dealt is reduced by 20% in this manner.
- Arrows and Bolts need to be equipped in the off-hand when using Bows and Crossbows in Diablo II, despite being two-handed weapons.
- Quivers, much like Arrows, are equippable by Demon Hunters of Diablo III with a Bow or Crossbow.
- Barbarians of Hellfire or Diablo II can use their great strength to wield a Two-Handed Sword with one hand (Hellfire also allowed Two-Handed Maces) while equipping a shield in their off-hand (Diablo II also allowed one-handed weapons). This capability was removed in the third game, replaced by Mighty Weapons.
A general rule is that two-handed weapons deal a higher amount of damage, and can roll higher total stat bonuses for the slot, but suffer from a slower attack speed.
Generally, Bows, Crossbows, and Staves are always two-handed, although in Diablo III Demon Hunters can use one-handed Hand Crossbows.
Wands, Daggers, Hand Crossbows, Javelins, Scepters, Ceremonial Knives, Fist Weapons, Throwing Weapons, Sorceress Orbs and Katars are always one-handed and do not exist in two-handed variants. In Diablo III, Spears are also one-handed only.